City: Chennai

The Chennai floods in 2015 caused damage worth Rs 8481 crore and claimed many lives. In 2021, floods ravaged the city once again, but the effects weren’t quite as bad as 2015. While estimates of the economic damage haven’t been cited; the city was at a standstill. Power had been cut, infrastructure damaged, and the collective sanity of the residents was at a low. These were dark times. Oddly, only two years before, in 2019, Chennai faced an acute water shortage because of a monsoon that failed to spill any rain. This chain of events illustrates a water paradox arising…

Translated by Sandhya Raju கடந்த பத்து ஆண்டுகளாக சென்னை மாநகராட்சியின் மண்டலம் 9-ல் குமரன் எஸ் கழிவுகளை சேகரிக்கும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளார். ஆனால், மாநகராட்சியின் சுகாதார பணியாளர்கள் அல்லது தனியார் நிறுவனமான அர்பேசர் சமித் தற்போது இந்த வேலையை மேற்கொள்வதால், குமரன் போன்ற கழிவுகள் சேகரிப்பாளர்களின் வருமானம் வெகுவாக குறைந்துள்ளது. "பத்து ஆண்டுகளாக இந்த வேலை பார்க்கிறேன். இது போன்ற ஒரு நிலையை இது வரை சந்தித்ததில்லை. பெருந்தொற்று காலத்தில், நல்ல மனம் படைத்த சிலரின் உதவியால் சமாளிக்க முடிந்தது. இப்போது வேலைக்கு திரும்பினாலும், முன்பை விட கால் பங்கு தான் சம்பாதிக்க முடிகிறது", என்கிறார் குமரன். சராசரியாக ஒரு நாளுக்கு ₹600 முன்னர் ஈட்டிய நிலையில், இன்று வெறும் ₹150-200 மட்டுமே கிடைக்கிறது. "முக்கால்வாசி கழிவுகள் மாநகராட்சி பணியாளர்களால் எடுத்துச் செல்லப்பட்டு விற்கப்படுவதால், எங்களுக்கு ஒன்றுமே கிடைப்பதில்லை" என்கிறார். கழிவு சேகரிப்பில், அதிலும் ஈரமற்ற கழிவுகளை சேகரிப்பதில், மாநகராட்சி…

With the recently concluded elections, Chennai has  local body representatives for the first time in six years. While much has changed in the past few years, avenues for engagement of Chennaiites with the local government has remained limited. Could this scenario change with the election of the ward councillors? How can residents be involved in local governance and demand accountability from their local representatives? Citizen Matters hosted a webinar with a diverse panel on the ways in which Chennaiites can track the work of their ward councillors and the avenues available for their participation. The panel comprised M Radhakrishnan of…

Tree leaves, bamboo, lotus leaves, palm leaves, rice straw, gourds, hemp twine, coconut shells and shells of shellfish are some of the natural materials that were used for packaging in the olden days. It was common at the turn of the century, for all items purchased, whether cooked or prepared, to be wrapped using indigenous materials, so as to preserve their freshness, prevent pollution, protect them from damage and store leftovers. Our parents and grandparents frequented small local kirana stores with steel dabbas to get flour and spices. Fast-forward to the present scenario, finding stores where you're able to purchase…

Wearing mask made mandatory in public places The Tamil Nadu Government has reinstated the rule that masks should be worn in Chennai and across the state while out in public . According to Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan, the imposition of a Rs. 500 fine will be imposed for non compliance with the rule. The official told reporters that while fining was relaxed, at no point was there an exemption from wearing masks.  The official also mentioned that there was an overall drop in thermal screening, use of hand sanitisers and masking at public places. According to him, testing would be…

A little known fact about Chennai that came to light through a 9th Century relic found in Ambur was that present day Adyar and adjoining Adyar estuary areas were once known as Amaiyur (amai meaning turtle in Tamil). In fact, the Besant Nagar beach is especially known as a nestling area* for the Panguni Aamai i.e the Olive Ridley turtle.  Currently the turtle species is deemed endangered. Chennaiites hardly get to see these turtles on the beach as they used to in the past. Human activity such as urbanisation and commercialisation of the beach has reduced the sandy regions near the…

With the swearing-in of the councillors, Chennai has an elected local body for the first time since 2016. The councillors who have taken office are a mix of experienced old-timers and those who have been elected for the first time. Half of the council is represented by women.  While these are promising developments, Chennaiites must be able to engage with their elected representatives and officials from the civic body to ensure effective administration. The push for ward committees and area sabhas is one way there can be an element of participatory planning in local governance.  Read more: Chennai in 2022:…

In the early hours of Sunday, a group of photographers were seen walking through the streets of Kannagi Nagar. This was an uncommon sight in the otherwise neglected resettlement colony located in the outskirts of the city. “It is a good spot to explore street photography,” said K Aishwarya, a resident of Anna Nagar who visited Kannagi Nagar for the first time as part of the photo walk. So, what made Kannagi Nagar a sudden spot of attraction for these photographers? The answer lies in the colourful murals that adorn the walls of what has been dubbed as Chennai’s first…

Chennai pedestrians need saving. Statistics of Chennai pedestrians dying on the road are alarming. But first: Is Chennai a walkable city? Not for the faint-hearted, the elderly or the disabled. Not for children, surely. The city acquires a busy character from its congested quaint enclaves like Mylapore, Triplicane, Mambalam, Saidapet and George Town with their warren of narrow streets. But old enclaves or new, Chennai does not really support walking. Things are so bad that the Smart City’s Pedestrian Plaza on Pondy Bazaar became a talking point for how it helped walkers. Poor record of road safety If road safety…

Kumaran S has been collecting waste from spots in Zone 9 of the Greater Chennai Corporation for over a decade now. But like most other informal waste pickers in Chennai, he has seen a sharp fall in his earnings from waste,  as a large portion of what they collected and sold are now handled by conservancy workers with the Greater Chennai Corporation or the private contractor in charge in most zones, Urbaser Sumeet. “I have been engaged in this work for over a decade. Things have never been as bad for us as it is now. During COVID-19 lockdown I…